Trust
by Cadey
Summary: Trusting is sometimes one of the hardest things that people do. [MS] [AU]


Trust 

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Wah! 

AN: Again, the AU warning is in place. This takes place in the same universe as UO and FSOB. But this takes place before those two stories. (I've gotten several reviews saying that they don't like how it skips around in time, but what can I say? That's the way the Muse gives them to me.) Anyway, this goes about a year or so before FSOB, say, about a sophmore year if you were in an American high school. I've left the country purposefully blank, so imagine this set where and when you wish. 

* * *

"So, who's the girl of the week?" 

Miroku sighed, a forlorn expression on his youthful face. "It hasn't changed in the past three weeks, Inuyasha." 

Inuyasha looked at his best friend a little strangely. For Miroku to be hung up on one girl for a week was nothing new, two weeks was practically unheard of, three weeks was impossible, but for him to be after the same girl for a month... Miroku had to be sick. Inuyasha sniffed the air. He didn't smell sick. 

"What's wrong with Miroku?" Kagome asked as she sat down next to the two. 

"He's still hung up on that girl," Inuyasha answered, his puzzlement clearly heard, even over Miroku softly saying that there was nothing wrong with him. 

Kagome looked at Miroku, who was back to staring off into space. "Are you feeling okay?" she worriedly asked, putting her hand up to his forehead. "You don't feel like you have a fever." 

Miroku jerked his head away, a bit annoyed. "I'm not sick." 

"If you're not sick, then why are you still fucking stuck on her?" Inuyasha turned to Kagome. "Is she in any of your classes?" 

Kagome shook her head. 

"She's in my math class," Miroku said, sounding a bit dreamy. "And..." His voice trailed off as the object of his (sometimes perverted) affections walked by, striding confidently across the school yard. Sango was one of the few girls who had resisted his charms, but he had to agree that his infatuation with her silent challenge was getting old. Maybe he was sick. The alternative was a little weird. 

"Hey Miroku! If you're going to stare at her like that, why don't you go talk to her?" 

Kagome dug her elbow into Inuyasha's ribs, undeterred by his growl. "It's looking like Miroku really likes her, so back off a little." 

Inuyasha's arm shot out, wrapping around Kagome's head and pulling her to his body. She squealed and tried to escape the headlock. 

Miroku sighed and gathered his things. Sometimes his friends could be so childish. "If you two would stop with the physical foreplay for a minute," he teased while standing. 

Inuyasha looked up at Miroku, his gold eyes glinting dangerously. "What did you say idiot?" 

"You heard me clearly the first time. I'm going to head on to class." He turned and walked up the stairs and into the school building. 

The last thing he heard was Inuyasha saying, "He must be sick." 

* * *

Sango both dreaded and anticipated her math class. She had always been quite good at the subject, but she had the unfortunate luck to be seated next to Miroku, who had to be the biggest letch on the face of the planet. She hadn't missed the glances he sent her way, nor was she blind to the rumors that surrounded him. She had been warned of his lecherous reputation before her first ever class, and had been prepared to ignore the rumors, had he not hit on her a little too strongly before their class began. 

"Hey! You!" 

She automatically turned her head, somehow knowing that the owner of the demon-gruff voice was talking to her. One of her eyebrows shot up in curiosity when she was Inuyasha leaning against some lockers, his arms folded over his chest. Once he saw that his summons had been answered, he launched himself off the lockers and fell into step beside her. 

"What did you do to him?" 

Sango looked up at the half demon, puzzled. That question was beyond cryptic. "Who?" 

"Who the hell do you think? Miroku." 

Now her expression darkened. "I haven't done a thing to that letch. Although I'd love to give him the beating he rightfully deserves." Her lips pursed. "Why? What is he implying?" 

If she hadn't been trained in the martial arts since she was old enough to walk, she would have been slightly afraid of the dark look on Inuyasha's face. But now, she was simply very pissed off. If that letch had implied anything about her... 

Inuyasha kept her from striding off with a hand on her arm. She automatically gauged his strength on that grip, and from what she had been trained to tell, he was incredibly strong. "He's been fucking hung up on you," he growled. "So whatever you're doing to my best friend, _stop it_. Or else, I won't be held responsible for my actions." 

With that threat hanging between them, Inuyasha stormed off, parting people before him, and leaving a stunned Sango in his wake. She barely recovered in time to dash off to class before she was late. She scooted in the door just as the bell rang, and gracefully made her way to her seat, ignoring the curious looks sent her way. As she slid into her seat, she turned her head just enough to catch Miroku out of the corner of her eye. He was wearing a look of surprise that melted into a shrewd, assessing look, one that set her teeth on edge. After that little confrontation with Inuyasha out in the hallway, she was torn between putting as much space as possible in between herself and Miroku, and actually getting to know him better, just to spite Inuyasha. 

Her logical side was winning out, arguing that she really didn't want to get to know Miroku any better. It would just give him ideas - ideas that she'd nearly put people into the hospital for in the past. 

Halfway through the class, and just as her logical side was about to win a rousing victory, a folded note landed on her desk. Sneaking it off the desk and into her lap, she opened it as quietly as she could, given that their teacher was an owl demon. 

'Whatever Inuyasha said, ignore him. -Miroku' 

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, seeing him diligently writing down notes. Now she was really confused as to what to do. He caught her looking at him and sent her a reassuring smile, as if telling her not to worry about Inuyasha. It was not a look she normally associated with Miroku. Any type of leer or provocative smile was more in keeping with his character. To mask her confusion, she turned back to her notes, completely missing the hurt look that settled briefly on Miroku's handsome features. 

* * *

It wasn't everyday that people saw Miroku angry. In fact, it was a very rare occurrence, like Inuyasha being nice to people other than Kagome or Miroku. The other students in the hall took one look at his face and quickly moved out of the way as he stormed down the hallway, which suited him just fine, thank you very much. 

The only person not fazed by his mood was the very one who caused it. 

Inuyasha took one look at Miroku and instinctively moved in front of Kagome, protecting her. He folded his arms over his chest and waited for the approaching storm. 

"What the hell did you say to her?" Miroku certainly didn't waste time on getting to the point. 

"To who?" Inuyasha drawled. He insulted so many people on a regular basis, it was quite hard to keep track, although he had a suspicion on whom this was all about. 

"Who else? Sango." 

Inuyasha snorted, a contemptuous look on his face. He felt that what he told Sango was right, and therefore didn't need an explanation. 

Miroku sighed out of frustration. "Some times, Inuyasha, you need to learn to butt out of people's lives." 

Inuyasha's eyes flashed. "I'm not going to let some bitch who can't tell the difference between you and the rumors keep fucking with your mind. You are not acting normal." 

He sighed again. "Maybe this can become normal. Maybe this is what normal can be like. Have you thought of that? And when I do meet the one girl I can imagine swearing off all others for, you go and piss her off." 

"She's not even giving you a chance to prove that. So you're better off without her." 

Miroku shoved a hand through the hair that escaped his ponytail. Inuyasha did have a point. Sango pretty much ignored his existence, and when she did acknowledge him, it was to put as much space between them as possible. "Just don't piss her off again, okay? I've heard that she's skilled enough in martial arts to kick even your ass." 

Inuyasha snorted. "Doubtful." 

Kagome peeked around Inuyasha's form, sensing that the storm had blown itself out. "Friends?" 

Miroku's mouth twitched up. His temper was gone. "Yeah." Kagome always was playing peacemaker when he and Inuyasha didn't see eye to eye. "Whose house are we going to tonight?" 

Around the corner from the trio, Sango eased back and tried to get her internal bearings straight. Was there the possibility that she had erred badly in her first impression of Miroku? True, he had hit on her, but was it as bad as she made it out to be? Starting a new school had always been stressful for her, so was it possible that Miroku had just been acting normally for him and she had overreacted? She had a lot to think about now. 

* * *

Of course, as was true when any heroine had something - someone - to think about, that person kept showing up, distracting her. He was there in the library, pushing his way past her in the hallways, giving her a bright smile, lounging outside on the steps before school started, talking to Inuyasha and a girl she didn't recognize, and damn him, she was acutely aware of him every day during Math. Sango shook her head. She really had to quit reading those romance novels her grandfather had hooked her on. 

Sighing, she looked down at the small slip of paper in her hand, then back at the bookshelf. Gritting her teeth in frustration when she couldn't find the book she wanted, she turned to go. And nearly smacked into Miroku, who pulled up short, then gave her a dazzling smile that did funny things to her mind. 

"Hi," he greeted. 

"Hello," she returned, a bit anxious to get out of his sphere of influence. Her logic was taking flights of fancy nowadays. Nervously tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she shifted her gaze to a pile of books sitting on the floor. Anything to snap that powerful violet gaze. "Um, what are you doing here?" _Shut up, Sango,_ she told herself. 

"I'm usually here at least once a week to see if any new books have come in. Yourself?" 

"Research," she muttered. 

Miroku made a little 'ah' of discovery. "Let me guess," he said, his voice rich with amusement, "history?" 

Her gaze shot back up to his, startled. "How-?" 

"Did I guess? I had Yama my first year. He usually gives obscure topics to research, requiring that you spend money to do so, since the library usually doesn't carry anything on that topic, and if it did, it's so outdated, it can't be trusted." He sent a meaningful glance at the slip of paper that was crushed in her hand. "What did you get?" 

Silently, she turned the slip of paper over to him. He gave a soft whistle at the books listed. 

"He's really outdone himself this year," he muttered darkly, sending a strange warmth through her heart. A kindred soul maybe? "Well, you're in the wrong section," he gently pointed out. "Come on, I think I've seen your books over here." His head jerked backwards, and he swiftly turned, headed towards another section. He clearly wanted her to follow, and she was desperate enough to do so. 

Within five minutes, she had every book on her list, with a few recommendations for leisure reading as well. Her eyes shining bright with happiness, she smiled at Miroku. "Thanks," she said. 

He returned the smile. "You're welcome." He opened his mouth to wish her luck on her research, but something else came out instead. "Want to go to the mid year bash?" Before she could say anything, he winced and rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that." 

She couldn't explain the disappointment that snaked through her. "It's - it's okay." 

They stood there, in awkward silence for a minute before Miroku caught her gaze again. The seriousness in them nearly stole her breath. "Since I've already said it though, do you want to go?" 

"What's the mid year bash?" She'd heard whispers of some kind of party being held soon, but had no idea what it was about. 

"The formal name is something like the Student Body Mid Year Night, but most everyone refers to it as the mid year bash. It's a party night, dedicated to letting us relax and take our minds off of research and looming mid year tests to just enjoy ourselves for a night. It's been going on for as long as I can remember, and last year, nearly half of the school population attended." 

"Oh," she mused. Shifting the load of books to her left arm, she tucked that errant strand of hair back behind her ear. "Um..." 

"If your hesitation has something to do with whatever Inuyasha told you, don't worry about it. Inuyasha and I may be best friends, but we don't agree on every issue. I can handle him." 

Sango didn't say that her hesitancy was more due to the prospect of spending a long length of time with Miroku. But her stubbornness kicked in. She was no damsel in distress, waffling at every decision. "Sure." _It will let me know if you're worth spending this much thinking time on,_ she mused to herself. 

"Cool," he said with a smile that threatened to make her knees knock. "Pick you up at six next Friday?" 

"Better make it six-thirty. I help my father teach and our class ends at six." 

Miroku nodded. "The Danshini Dojo?" 

"That's it." The books were getting heavier, weighing her arm down. "I'd better go pay for these," she remarked. 

"Yeah. I'll see you in Math," he said by way of parting before roaming back down the aisle with a slight spring to his step. She couldn't help but feel a little spring in her step, as well. 

* * *

At precisely six o'clock, Miroku opened the doors to the Dashini Dojo, hearing the familiar sounds of weight being thrown around. There appeared to be two classes going at once, one in the cool down, meditation stage, and one right in the middle of practice. Sango was leading the group of younger people through their paces, her hair up in her usual high ponytail, calling out instructions and praise. Her eyes flickered over to him, then widened, and she turned to look at the clock, her shoulders sagging with relief that she wasn't late. Then her eyes came back to him, blatant curiosity held in their bottomless depths. He smiled gently and nodded towards her class. He heard a deeper male voice order his class up, and after the traditional bowing, the meditating class parted ways with their sensei. 

"Sango? It's six; would you like me to take over?" 

Sango sent a smile up at the man who could only be her father and nodded. She quickly crossed the floor, her bare feet poking enticingly out of her pants as she moved. "You're early," she commented. 

"I know. I was curious about your fighting style and came to watch for a bit." He studied the throws the group of mainly young boys was practicing. Then his eyes roamed about the dojo itself, mentally categorizing the various weapons on display. 

"It won't take me long to get ready." 

He sent her a smile. "Don't worry. Being a few minutes late won't kill us." 

She returned the smile, then turned and went towards the back of the dojo. Miroku leaned against the wall, eyes still roaming the dojo, when he caught the familiar sight of a Buddhist shrine. Skirting around the mats, he went to the shrine. He had not had an easy life, being bounced around foster homes (and usually running away) since his parents had died at the age of four, before finally being taken in by a distant relative. But in that time, he had spent a few years as the guest in a Buddhist temple, run by a solitary monk. Mushin was not the traditional monk, enjoying rice liquor and women a little too much, but he had taught the impressionable young man many things during his stay. How to woo a woman with words, how to fight, how to meditate on things, and most importantly, how to pray. 

Bowing before the shrine, he kneeled and lit a stick of incense, holding his left hand in a traditional gesture against his chest, his mouth silently formed the opening words to the ancient prayer Mushin had him repeating every day and every night during his stay. He could feel the curious glances hitting his back, but he paid them no mind. When he was praying, it was just him, Buddha, and the cosmos. 

Sango rushed through her shower; silently thanking the gods that she had the foresight to lay out the outfit she wanted to attend the party in. Throwing on her clothes, she quickly applied her makeup, brushing the bright pink eye shadow onto her lids, and adding a touch of color to her lips. She spun around to face her demon cat, which was curled up on her bed, watching her with slit red eyes. 

"What do you think, Kirara?" 

Kirara mewed her approval. Sango gave her a quick scratch behind the ears, then shot out of her room and back towards the dojo. When she walked in, she expected to find Miroku where she had left him, leaning against the wall, not barefoot and performing a complicated kata for her father and brother. She stopped short, her eyebrows rising behind her bangs. Her nose caught a whiff of incense, and she could feel the energy swirling from the shrine they kept in the dojo towards where Miroku was moving with exaggerated slowness. She recognized the kata as one that she had only practiced for a few years. It was one of the mastery basics, involving moving against an opponent with much greater speed and strength - a move to be used against a demon. 

"I see!" Kohaku exclaimed. "If you move your left foot a little more out, you can get further reach!" 

Miroku stopped and nodded at her younger brother. Sango noticed that he was still breathing normally. Impressive physical condition, she thought. She cleared her throat slightly to let the men folk know that a woman had entered their midst. Miroku turned, and his face tipped into a welcoming smile. Kohaku made a little disgusted sound in his throat that sounded suspiciously like "Girls." 

Her father quelled her little brother with a look. Skirting around the mats, owing to the fact that she was wearing shoes, she watched Miroku bow respectfully to her father, then to her brother, and then stepped off the mats to put his own shoes back on. She noticed that he was wearing a deep purple shirt, one that really brought out the startling violet of his eyes, and a pair of black carpenter jeans. His hair was pulled back into its customary ponytail, allowing a few shorter wisps of hair to escape. 

"Sango?" Her father's deep voice interrupted her appraisal of Miroku. Blushing slightly, she turned to face her father, who was wearing a slight smirk. "What time will this party end?" 

She looked at Miroku, lost on that detail. 

"It usually ends around ten or so," he supplied. 

"So what time will you have her back?" 

Miroku stood, having finished with his shoes. "Probably around ten-thirty, depending on how fast Kagome and I can get Inuyasha into his car." 

"Will there be drinking?" 

Miroku's mouth twitched downward before his face cleared, and Sango wondered why. "No. It's teacher chaperoned." 

Her father snorted. "In my day, we considered that a challenge." 

"So do some of the students, but a lot of our teachers are demons, with very good senses of smell and hearing. Most have just stopped trying." 

He nodded. "Sango?" 

"Sir?" 

"Your curfew is at two. Have fun." 

She gave him a bright smile. "I will. Thanks, Dad." 

He gave a nod to Miroku, as if saying 'Take care of my little girl.' Miroku nodded back and opened the door for Sango. 

* * *

The party was loud and a little wild by the time they arrived. Inuyasha had sent her a considering, if semi-threatening, look when she arrived next to Miroku, nudging the girl beside him and pointing them out. She waved to Miroku, who waved back and sent a reassuring smile to Sango. 

Miroku kept her by his side for as long as possible, the both of them talking about meaningless, banal things. Mostly about school and the various people that passed by their sights. The night wore on, and around nine, after they had found each other again after being separated thirty minutes earlier; they found a bench to sit on near the large bonfire. Sango was about to start another conversation with Miroku, whom she found to have hidden depths when the girl she had seen earlier by Inuyasha's side plopped down on the bench and draped herself over Miroku's lap, pressing a dramatic hand to her forehead. 

"Save me, o handsome rogue!" 

Miroku laughed, and Sango couldn't help the surge of jealousy that ran through her. "Hojo?" he asked. 

"Yes," the girl answered, annoyed. She took down her hand, but didn't move from where Miroku's hand supported her back. She tipped her head back, looking at Sango. "Hi! I'm Kagome, the actual sane friend to both Inuyasha and Miroku. You may pity me now." 

Sango laughed, her annoyance fading in the bright sparkle of Kagome's introduction. "I'm Sango, and I have the feeling that we're going to be very good friends." 

"Our little Kag is good friends with just about everyone she meets." He looked down at Kagome. "Where's Inuyasha?" 

She shrugged and sat up. "Last I saw, he was talking to Kikyo." She leaned around Miroku. "Kikyo has had her eye on Inuyasha for the past two months, and I think that Inuyasha's pretty interested in her," she explained. 

"Ah. Would either of you ladies want something to drink?" 

Kagome shook her head. "I'm back off before Hojo can spot me again. Gimmie a kiss for luck." 

Miroku obligingly pressed his lips to her cheek. "May the gods be with you," he joked. 

Kagome jumped up and disappeared back into the crowd with a wave to Sango. 

"Do you want anything?" 

Sango smiled. "Sure." 

"Don't move, I'll be right back." 

She sat there on the bench, watching the crowd, unconsciously searching for purple and black. When she finally spotted him, her brows snapped together and her blood boiled. Miroku was holding two cups of the punch, but a rather gorgeous girl was draped all over him, trying to snuggle into his side. His lips moved and his mouth curved up into a slight smile. Her jaw clenched. Here she was thinking that he wasn't so bad, that she could actually consider the possibility of seeing him more often, and he goes and acts all perverted again. She stood and stalked past the two, shooting daggers with her eyes at Miroku, intent upon walking herself right out of the party and back to her house. 

She had to go around the darkened side of the school to get out, and she kept a wary eye out for anything that could possibly jump out and try to get her. She felt a presence behind her a second before a hand landed on her shoulder. She shoved the hand off and twisted around, prepared to defend herself. Her mood wasn't helped when she saw that it was Miroku. 

"Shouldn't you be back there with you little friend?" she snapped, the anger covering the hurt. 

"You know, it's quite funny how my reputation spreads far faster than hers does," he snapped back. "You haven't even really given me a chance to prove that I'm more than my reputation." He shoved a hand through his hair, making the moonlight catch his frustrated features. 

"Maybe I would give you that chance if you didn't prove yourself to be that reputation every day of the week!" 

He glowered at her. "Fuck! I haven't even looked twice at another girl in over a goddamned month, Sango! You blew me away your first day here, and it hasn't stopped. I was going to ask you to go out with me sometime, but I guess that the school's resident whore blew that chance away." 

They stared at each other through the moonlight, mentally prodding at the other's defense. Miroku was the first to break the stare. He shook his head, threw up his hands, and turned to head back to the party. 

He got three steps before her voice stopped him. "If we do go out, I want your solemn word that you will be true to me, that your only affections will be towards me. No 'accidental' slips of the hand and tone down the blatant flirting. It's that or nothing." 

He turned. "You have it," he intoned in all seriousness. "You have my solemn word that I will do my best to avoid such situations like the one that was laid out a few moments ago, and that my affections towards you will only come when you say the word. But in return, I must have your word that you will trust me to be true to my word." 

He could see her nod. "You have it," she repeated. She ducked her head and rubbed her arms. "Sorry," she added, a little softer. 

"It's okay," he replied, moving closer. "Do you want to go back to the party?" 

"Not really. Do you want to grab a cup of coffee or something? Just to talk?" 

Miroku smiled. "That sounds good to me." 

He walked up to her and presented his arm with a slight flourish. She took it, feeling a little goofy, but happy at the same time. "So, tell me a little bit about yourself," she said, trying to restart their conversation. 

"Well, I was a pretty normal child, playing in sandboxes and all of that, until I was four. One night my parents were coming home from a movie when a drunk driver crossed the road and plowed into them head-on..." 

-fini 


End file.
